Wrench



A. O. WHITTIER.

WRENCH.

No. 449,722. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFrcE.

ABEL C. VHITTIER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,722, dated April 7, 1891.

Application filed May 20, 1890- To all whom it. may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABEL O. WHITTIER, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Wrenches, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel wrench especially adapted for pipe-work. I

In accordance with my invention the beam or shank is made plainthat is, without the usual screw-threadsand is provided at one end with a fixed jaw, with which co-operates a movable jaw located in a housing fitted upon the said beam, so as to be moved longitudinally thereon, the said housing embracing the said beam or shank and being provided at the rear or back side of the shank with a threaded opening constituting a nut preferably forming an integral part of the said housing.

The movable jaw referred to has its upper or biting face inclined outwardly and downwardly, and is provided on its front side, at or near its lower end, with a projection or toe extended into a slot or opening in the housing, the said toe forming the pivotal point for the said movable jaw. The movable jaw has (to-operating with it two springs, preferably made spiral and located in sockets on the opposite sides of the said jaw, the said springs acting to hold the said jaw when not in use away from or out of contact with the beam or shank and the front side of the housing, so as to permit of a limited movement in either direction. The threaded nut on the. rear side of the housing has inserted through it a screw or threaded rod having its lower end stepped, preferably, in a projection secured to or forming part of the handle of the wrench, the said screw at its lower end being provided with a collar or nut firmly secured thereto, which is extended into a notch in the rear side of the beam or shank to prevent vertical movement or displacement of the said screw.

The particular features in which myinvention consists will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 shows in elevation and in section Serial No. 352,487. (No model.)

a pipewrench embodying my invention, the housing for the movable jaw being shown in section; and Fig. 2, a detail in side elevation to more clearly show the housing and the slot in its front face.

The beam or shank a, provided with afixed jaw at, having teeth a projecting toward the said beam, may be made of steel or other usual metal. The beam or shank dis made plain or smooth-that is, without the usual screwthreads thereon to i mpartincreased strength to the wrench, and it has fitted upon it, so as to slide longitudinally thereon, a housing or casting 1), provided with an extension I), having in itsfront faceaslotoropeningb Theextension b of the housing receives within it a movable jaw b havingits upper or biting face inclined outwardly and downwardly and provided with teeth b and the said movable jaw on its front face at or nearits lower endis provided with a toe or projection b herein shown as extended through the slot o The toe or projection 19 forms the pivotal point forthe movable jaw, and the latter at its bottom or lower end is made large enough to fit the lower part or bottom of the housing, so that when the movable jaw is in its extreme forward position the rear portion or heel c of the said movable jaw will abut against the beam or shank a, whereby in the operation of the wrench the strain is partially relieved from the pivotalvtoe b and is exerted upon the beam or shank a.

The movable jaw b has co-operating with it two springs 0' c herein shown as spiral in form and extended into sockets in the rear and front side of the said jaw, the said springs normally keeping the movable jaw away from or out of engagement with the beam and the serted through it a threaded rod or screw 0 having its lower end stepped, as at 0 (see dotted lines, Fig. 1,) in a projection 0 which in small wrenches will preferably form part of an annular ring or ferrule 0 secured to or forming part of a handle 0 but which in large wrenches may form part of an independent collar secured to the beam. The threaded rod or screw 0 is provided at its lower end above the projection c with the flange or collar 0", firmlysecuredorfixed upon the said screw and extended into a notch or recess 0 in the rear side of the beam or shank a, whereby the said screw when fitted in position is prevented from moving longitudinally on the beam.

By making the beam or shank plain and without the usual screw-th reads it isrendered much stronger than the beam or shank of pipe-wrenches as now commonly constructed, and in pipe-wrenches of large size this is an important feature. So, also, by placing the threaded opening or nut on the back or rear side of the beam or shank a much greater extent of movement ortravel of the housing and its movable jaw may be effected than if the said nut were placed upon the front side of the housing, and as a result a pipe-wrench constructed, as herein shown, of substantially small size may be employed on substantially large workthat is, on pipes having a substantially large diameter.

It will readily be seen that the housing and its movable jaw may be moved a very consid' erable distance away from the fixed jaw. It will be noticed that the movable jaw is entirely independent of the housing, and is maintained in place thereon by the toe or projection I) alone, the usual pivoted pin being dispensed with. In this manner the wrench is not only strengthened, but all the parts are independent, so that they may be readily duplicated in case any one part should become broken or out of order.

I have herein shown the slot or opening U as extended through the housing; but I do not desire to limit myself in this respect, as the said slot may extend but partially through the said housing.

I claim 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a pipe-wrench consisting of the following instrumentalities, viz: aplain or smooth shank or beam provided with a fixed jaw having teeth inclined toward the beam, a housing titted upon the said shank and provided on its front face with a slot or opening and on its rear side with a nut 0 a movable jaw having its npperorbiting face inclined outwardly and downwardly from the beam and provided with a too or projection If to enter said slot or opening in thehousing, and athreaded rod 0 to engage the said nut, substantially as described.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a pipe-wrench consisting of the following instrumentalities, viz: a plain or smooth shank or beam provided with a fixed jaw, a housing fitted upon the said shank and provided on its front face with a slot or opening and on its rear side with a nut c", a movable jaw provided with a toe or projection If to enter said slot or opening in the housing and having its upper or bitingfaceinclined downwardly and outwardly from the beam, a spring to act on the opposite sides of the movable jaw, and a threaded rod 0 to engage the said nut, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABEL C. \VIII'ITIER.

\Vitnesses:

J AS. H. CHURCHILL, EMMA J. BENNETT. 

